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Pronunciation | /ˈɛθənɒl/ | ||
Trade names | several | ||
Other names | Absolute alcohol; Alcohol (USP ); Cologne spirit; Drinking alcohol; Ethanol (JAN ); Ethylic alcohol; EtOH; Ethyl alcohol; Ethyl hydrate; Ethyl hydroxide; Ethylol; Grain alcohol; Hydroxyethane; Methylcarbinol | ||
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Dependence liability | Physical: Very High Psychological: Moderate[1] | ||
Addiction liability | Moderate (10–15%)[2] | ||
Routes of administration | Common: Oral Uncommon: suppository, inhalation, ocular, insufflation, injection[3] | ||
Drug class | Analgesic; Anaphrodisiac; Anxiolytic; Depressant; Diuretic; Emetic; Euphoriant; Gabaergic; General anesthetic; Sedative; Neurotoxin GABA receptor agonist ; Stimulant at low doses. | ||
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Pharmacokinetic data | |||
Bioavailability | 80%+[4][5] | ||
Protein binding | Weakly or not at all[4][5] | ||
Metabolism | Liver (90%):[6][8] • Alcohol dehydrogenase • MEOS (CYP2E1) | ||
Metabolites | Acetaldehyde; Acetic acid; Acetyl-CoA; Carbon dioxide; Ethyl glucuronide; Ethyl sulfate; Water | ||
Onset of action | Peak concentrations:[6][4] • Range: 30–90 minutes • Mean: 45–60 minutes • Fasting: 30 minutes | ||
Elimination half-life | Constant-rate elimination at typical concentrations:[7][8][6] • Range: 10–34 mg/dL/hour • Mean (men): 15 mg/dL/hour • Mean (women): 18 mg/dL/hr At very high concentrations (t1/2): 4.0–4.5 hours[5][4] | ||
Duration of action | 6–16 hours (amount of time that levels are detectable)[9] | ||
Excretion | • Major: metabolism (into carbon dioxide and water)[4] • Minor: urine, breath, sweat (5–10%)[6][4] | ||
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Chemical and physical data | |||
Formula | C2H6O | ||
Molar mass | 46.069 g·mol−1 | ||
3D model (JSmol) | |||
Density | 0.7893 g/cm3 (at 20 °C)[10] | ||
Melting point | −114.14 ± 0.03 °C (−173.45 ± 0.05 °F) [10] | ||
Boiling point | 78.24 ± 0.09 °C (172.83 ± 0.16 °F) [10] | ||
Solubility in water | Miscible mg/mL (20 °C) | ||
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Alcohol, sometimes referred to by the chemical name ethanol, is one of the most widely used and abused psychoactive drugs in the world and falls under the depressant category.[11][12][13] The term "Alcohol and Other Drugs" (AOD) emphasizes this inclusion by grouping alcohol with other substances that alter mood and behavior. Alcohol is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a toxic, psychoactive, dependence-producing, and carcinogenic substance.[14]
While the terms "drug" and "medicine" are sometimes used interchangeably, "drug" can have a negative connotation, often associated with illegal substances like cocaine or heroin,[15] which is why the alcohol industry may argue that "alcohol is not a drug" (Room et al. 2007).[16]
The normalization of alcohol consumption,[17] along with past misconceptions about its health benefits, also promoted by the industry,[18] further reinforces the mistaken idea that it is not a "drug". Even within the realm of scientific inquiry, the common phrase "drugs and alcohol" persists, implying that alcohol is somehow separate from other drugs.
Paradoxically, despite being legal, alcohol, scientifically classified as a drug, has demonstrably been linked to greater social harm than most illegal drugs.[19][20] This contradicts the perception some hold of alcohol being a harmless substance.
Alcohol is found in fermented beverages such as beer, wine, and distilled spirit[21] – in particular, rectified spirit,[22] and serves various purposes; it is used as a recreational drug, for example by college students, for self-medication, and in warfare. It is also frequently involved in alcohol-related crimes such as drunk driving, public intoxication, and underage drinking. Some esoteric religions and schools incorporate the use of alcohol for spiritual purposes.
For roughly two decades, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a World Health Organization (WHO) agency, has classified alcohol as a Group 1 Carcinogen.[23] In 2023, the WHO declared that there is "no safe amount" of alcohol consumption without health risks.[14] This reflects a global shift in public health messaging, aligning with the long-standing views of the temperance movement, which advocates against the consumption of alcoholic beverages. This shift aligns with the global scientific consensus against alcohol for pregnant women due to the known risks of miscarriage, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), as well as for individuals under the legal drinking age.
WHO also highlighted a statistic: nearly half of all alcohol-attributable cancers in the WHO European Region are linked to alcohol consumption, even from "light" or "moderate" drinking – "less than 1.5 litres of wine or less than 3.5 litres of beer or less than 450 millilitres of spirits per week".[14] This new information suggests that these consumption levels should now be considered high-risk. Many countries exceed these levels by a significant margin. Echoing the WHO's view, a growing number of national public health agencies are prioritizing complete abstinence (teetotalism) and stricter drinking guidelines in their alcohol consumption recommendations.
Alcohol has a variety of short-term and long-term adverse effects on health. According to a 2024 World Health Organization (WHO) report, these harmful consequences of alcohol use result in 2.6 million deaths annually, accounting for 4.7% of all global deaths.[24]
Short-term effects from moderate consumption include relaxation, decreased social inhibition, and happiness while binge drinking may result in generalized impairment of neurocognitive function, blackout, and hangover. Excessive alcohol intake causes alcohol intoxication characterized by unconsciousness or, in severe cases, death.
Long-term effects are considered to be a major global public health issue and includes alcoholism, abuse, withdrawal, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), liver disease, hepatitis, cardiovascular disease (such as cardiomyopathy), polyneuropathy, hallucinosis, long-term impact on the brain (such as brain damage and dementia), and cancers such as breast cancer and head and neck cancer (especially laryngeal cancer).
Despite being a widespread issue, social stigma around problematic alcohol use or alcoholism discourages over 80% from seeking help.[25]
Alcohol works in the brain primarily by increasing the effects of γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA),[26] the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain; by facilitating GABA's actions, alcohol suppresses the activity of the CNS.[26]
...alcohol dependence (is) a substantial risk of regular heavy drinking...
(Compulsive alcohol use) occurs only in a limited proportion of about 10–15% of alcohol users....
Nutt_2010
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